Down Beat (p.66) - 4 stars out of 5 -- "Crisp and joyful, with perky guitar riding on top and a driving energy, 'The Mean Time' lets you know straight out of the gate that a real band made this album..."
JazzTimes (p.88) - "[H]is phrasing is more acute than ever, and the CD includes some of his best compositions."
Personnel: Michael Brecker (EWI); Pat Metheny (guitars); Herbie Hancock, Brad Mehldau (piano); John Patitucci (bass instrument); Jack DeJohnette (drums).
It's impossible to listen to the last album that Michael Brecker recorded before succumbing to cancer without a sense of profound regret at the loss of a significant talent. Brecker sounds more soulfully energized than ever on a selection that includes complex workouts such as "Anagram," as well as the beautiful, lyrical "Pilgrimage," the last tune the saxophonist recorded. Joined by an all-star roster that includes the pianists Herbie Hancock and Brad Mehldau, the drummer Jack DeJohnette, and the guitarist Pat Metheny, Brecker gives a thrilling series of performances that encompass the exhilarating "Cardinal Rule," the commercial-sounding "Five Months From Midnight," and the valedictory title track.